Exodus 3:16-22

16 Go and 1gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, 2"I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt,
17 and I promise that 3I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land 4flowing with milk and honey."'
18 And 5they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel 6shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has 7met with us; and now, please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.'
19 But I know that the king of Egypt 8will not let you go unless compelled 9by a mighty hand.[a]
20 So 10I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with 11all the wonders that I will do in it; 12after that he will let you go.
21 And 13I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty,
22 but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for 14silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So 15you shall plunder the Egyptians."

Exodus 3:16-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 2

In this chapter we are informed how that the Lord appeared to Moses in a bush on fire, but not consumed, Ex 3:1-6, declared unto him that he had seen and observed the afflictions of the children of Israel, and was determined to deliver them, Ex 3:7-9, that he gave him a call to be the deliverer of them, answered his objections to it, and instructed him what he should say, both to the elders of Israel and to Pharaoh, Ex 3:10-18, and assured him, that though at first Pharaoh would refuse to let them go, yet after many miracles wrought, he would be willing to dismiss them, when they should depart with great substance, Ex 3:19-22.

Cross References 15

  • 1. Exodus 4:29
  • 2. Exodus 4:31; Genesis 50:24; [Luke 1:68]
  • 3. ver. 8
  • 4. ver. 8
  • 5. Exodus 4:31
  • 6. Exodus 5:1
  • 7. Num. 23:3, 4, 15, 16
  • 8. Exodus 5:2; Exodus 7:4
  • 9. Exodus 6:1; Exodus 13:3
  • 10. Deuteronomy 6:22; Nehemiah 9:10; Jeremiah 32:20; Acts 7:36; See Exodus 7 - 12
  • 11. Exodus 4:21
  • 12. Exodus 12:31
  • 13. Exodus 11:2, 3; Exodus 12:35, 36; [Genesis 15:14]
  • 14. [Exodus 33:6]
  • 15. [Ezekiel 39:10]

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew go, not by a mighty hand
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.